Cigarette case



M651? 5, 193$ H, R SEGAL EJ3 3559 CIGARETTE CASE Filed March 17, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

TRNEY H. R. SEGAL CIGARETTE CASE May 5, 136.

Filed March 1'7, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY H. R. SEGAL CIGARETTE CASE May 5, 1936.

, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 17 ll ll INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented May 5, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The subject matter of this invention is directed to an article holding device and is especially conoerned with a functionally and structurally improved lighter case which may be conveniently carried about by the person and in which cigarettes may be stored. I

The objects of the invention are:

1st. To provide a novel means for opening the case in several stages.

2nd. To provide a novel means for positioning one end of the articles above the elevation of a casing as to permit facile removal therefrom.

3d. To provide a novel tray on which the cigarettes are sustained as to present the upper portions thereof in overlapping or staggered relation.

4th. To provide a novel cigarette carrying tray adapted to be bodily lifted within a casing as to present the upper portions of the cigarette to be easily selected or grasped after the casing has been fully opened. 7

5th. To provide a novel release for the closure of the casing to preclude the possibility of automatic discharge of any of the cigarettes therefrom during movement of the cover to its full open position.

6th. To provide a casing in which a novel cigarette carrying tray may be bodily moved towards or away from the top thereof upon the release or the closing of the cover.

7th. To provide a casing in which a cigarette carrying tray may be controlled in its movement towards the top thereof by a partition carried by a vertically displaceable tray and a cooperating stop lug associated with the casing.

8th. To provide a casing having a cover which may be fully released in two operations, first by pressing a wall of the casing for automatically arranging the cover in an intermediate position between its full open and full closed position and. secondly to permit travel of the cover to its full open position upon the removal of the pressure from said side.

9th. To provide a casing having a cover which may be released to simultaneously present both a cigarette to be used and a flame for lighting the cigarette.

10th. To provide a compact case including a lighter and several compartments for the supply of cigarettes.

11th. To provide a compact case having several compartments which may be selectively opened.

12th. To provide a compact cigarette and lighter case having a cover which if opened raises the cigarettes for selection and. causes a flint wheel to operate for'rendering effective a suitably fuel saturated wick and if closed to lower the cigarettes and snuff out the flame of the wick.

Further objects will appear as the description herein progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation and partly in section of my improved cigarette case.

Fig. 2 is a section similar to Fig. 1 but with the cover in an intermediate position between its full open and its full closed position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the closure or cover of the case fully opened and the tray in its uppermost position within the casing.

Fig. tie a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing a modification.

Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of a modification showing a case of the type according to Figs. 1 to 4' but provided with an additional compartment for holding a cigarette lighter, the cover of the case being shown open.

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 'l-! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary View of '7 showing the cover closed.

Fig. 9 is an enlargedview of the coupler or clutch which is controlled by either opening or closing of the cover.

Fig. 10 illustrates a side view of another modification in which a separate cover is provided for the lighter compartment. I r

Fig. 11 is a front elevational of Fig. 10 showing separate covers for the cigarette and lighter compartments.

Fig. 12 is a broken view in elevation and partly in section of a compact case having a general cover to raise the cigarettes and to permit access to a subsidiary cover, which if released renders the wick effective.

Fig. l3 is a fragmentary side view of. Fig. 12 showing the general and subsidiary covers closed.

Fig. 14 is a- View similar to Fig. 13 but showing the general and subsidiary covers open.

Fig. 15 shows a view of another modification in elevation and with the cover open and Fig. 16 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 15.

The cigarette case according to the invention and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive comprises arelatively elongated and rectangularly shaped casing, generally designated l0 and embodies front and. rear vertically disposed walls H and I 2, interconnecting side walls l3 and I4, and their common interconnected bottom Wall l5.

A closure or cover, broadly denoted I6, is appr priately h nged to the horizontally and longitudinally disposed pin I! carried by the rear wall I2 of the casing. Spaced coil springs as I8 are mounted on pin I1 and have their free terminals 19 and 20 normally bearing against a rear depending wall 20' of the closure and the corresponding rear wall of the casing. Upon the release of the cover from its closed or intermediate full position, terminals [9 and 20 of the coiled spaced springs l8 urge the cover in a direction away from the top of the casing.

Bodily movable with the cover I6 is a cigarette carrying tray or platform, broadly denoted 2|. This tray comprises an irregular shaped bottom stepped plate 22 on which the bottom portions of the cigarettes 23 are supported.

Extending upwardly from the ends of the tray is a pair of opposing arms 24 and 25. These arms together with their common plate 22 are movably and vertically guided between the front and rear walls of the casing.

Pivotally attached to each of the upper portions of the arms 23 and 24 is a link 26. These links are also appropriately pivotally connected to a post as 21 extending inwardly from corresponding sides of the cover. It is apparent therefore that if the cover is released from its closed position, it moves away from the top of the casing and in this movement the tray 2| will be lifted upwardly so as to raise the overlapping upper portions of the cigarettes above the elevation of the top of the casing III. In this position, namely with the case fully opened, the cigarettes may be easily selected and grasped for their removal from the casing. If, on the other hand, the cover is moved to a closing position, the tray is moved downwardly towards the bottom of the casing also by reason of the interconnecting links 26.

Intermediate the vertically spaced arms 24 and 25 of the tray, its bottom plate 22 carries a vertically disposed partition 29, the upper portion of which includes a notch 30 presenting a horizontally arranged stop shoulder 3|. The partition is so secured to the plate 22 as to be bodily movable therewith and arranged between the arms thereof such that the distance between the partition and either of said arms is materially less than the length of a cigarette in order to prevent the latter from falling into a certain readily inaccessible inclined or horizontal position within the compartments formed by the partition with the aforementioned arms.

The forward depending wall of the cover is provided with an inwardly disposed lip 32 which in the closed position of the cover is arranged in an opening 34 adjacent the top edge of the front wall of the casing, the upper wall of the opening engaging the horizontal' face of the lip to hold the cover closed as is Well understood. In moving the cover to its closed position, the lip comes into contact with the portion of the front wall of the casing above the opening 34, pressing this portion slightly inwardly. The lip then snaps into opening 35 to be interlocked with its upper edge, the walls of the casing and cover according to the invention, being preferably of a suitable resilient metal or the like.

Extending inwardly and horizontally from the lower edge of the opening 34 is a lug 35 which is carried by the front wall of the casing. This lug cooperates with notch 30 and is disposed in the path of travel of the horizontal shoulder 30 in the latters upward displacement to retard and interrupt the movement of the tray after the cover is released and thereby prevent the cigarettes within the compartment being ejected from the casing due to the inertia of the cover during its movement from its closed to its fully opened positions.

In the position of the cover, as illustratedin Fig. 1, lip 32 engages the upper edge of the opening 34 and in this way the cover is held locked. If however, it is desired to have access to the cigarettes within the compartments, the front wall of the casing may be slightly depressed by finger pressure and against its own resiliency at a point slightly below opening 34. In this way, catch or lip 32 is released from the opening. The inherent action of the spaced coiled spring l8 then causes the cover to lift and consequently links 26 are also elevated, which action raises the tray and partition 29.

With the finger pressure still applied to the upper portion of the front wall of the casing, and the partition moving upwardly, the horizontal shoulder 30 of the partition comes in contact with the inwardly extending lug 35 (see Fig. 2) and thus further upward displacement of the tray is prevented although the tray is in an intermediate position and the casing is but partially opened. The lug 35 accordingly interrupts the upward movement of the tray.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the stop lug 35 is against shoulder 30 of the partition, and the cover is in an intermediate position such that the access to the cigarettes cannot be had. With the removal of the finger pressure, the resiliency of the front wall of the casing causes the stop lug 35 to move forwardly and away from the horizontal shoulder 31; thus by reason of the energy of the coiled springs l8, the closure is moved as to fully open the casing and consequently the tray to present the cigarettes thereon at a proper elevation above the casing.

To conceal the cigarettes, the cover is swung downwardly, which in turn shifts the tray towards the bottom of the casing, after which the cover may be interlocked with the casing in a manner hereinbefore set forth. In passing downwardly, however, the upper restricted part 36 of the partition is to one side of the stop lug 35 and free thereof.

In the movement of the tray downwardly, lug 35 is within the gap formed between the upper part of the front wall of the casing and the upper restricted part 36 of the partition thus preventing lateral or outward displacement of the upper portion of the front Wall of the casing.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, plate 22 of the tray has its end sections 3'. below the elevation of the next adjacent cigarette supporting section 38 and the latter below sections 39, sections 39 being interconnected by a common and centrally arranged section 40 on which partition 29 is secured.

Plate 22 is a one piece member and its several sections at different elevations present as stepped contour to arrange the cigarettes supported thereon as to be readily removed from the casing upon the release of the cover.

According to the form illustrated in Fig. 5, plate 22 of the cigarette carrying tray has an undulating contour to arrange the upper portions of the cigarettes in staggered relation such that the adjacent portions thereof are overlapped while the alternate portions are substantially at the same elevation.

According to the form shown in Figs. 6-9 in elusive, the casing I0 is provided with a transversely disposed wall 40 which is spaced from the side wall l4 thereof to form a compartment menus or pocket for receiving a cigarette or cigar lighting device generally denoted H, the latter having a cotton and a wick chamber 42. and a flint chamber 43. Access: to the cotton and wick chamber may be had by removing plug 44'- andto. the flint chamber by removing the detachable plug 45. asis well understood. A fuel saturated wick- 45 is secured in the bore of; a. shouldered post 46., the upper portion of the wick being frayed and pro jected above the post; Within the flint chamber, a helicoidal spring 41 supports and urges apiece. of flint 48 against a roughened wheel 49, the latter being appropriately fixed to: the shaft journaled to and mounted between the guide; brackets 50'.

A clutch broadly denoted is. operatively carried on the suitably journaled shaft 45 and includes a pair of detachably interlocking complementary elements 52 and; 53. Complement 52 is fixed to the shaft 45-. Complement 52 is loosely mounted on the shaft 45. The complements are provided with interlocking teeth as 54, which if engaged and the shaft 45 be rotated in the direction of the arrow permits complement. 53 to rotate complement 52 and consequently the flint wheel 49. If, however, complement 53 be rotated in a. direction counter to the arrow, complement 53 slips past complement 52 without causing the latter to rotate.

The spring 55 normally urges complement 53 against complement 52. Complement 53 includes several teeth as 56 on its circumference which are interconnected with the curved toothed rack 51 depending from and secured to the bottom of the cover Hi. It is apparent, that if thecover is swung from an open to a. closed position, the arcuate rack 51 will rotate complement 53 which slips by complement 52 and hence does. not rotate the flint wheel. If the cover be closed and is subsequently released, rack 51 rotates complement 53 to permit its operative engagement with the complement 52 causing the flint wheel to rotate.

Rotation of the flint wheel produces certain sparks from the flint piece 48' and the sparks cause the flammable vapors about the frayed head of the wick to ignite to produce the desired flame. If the cover be released from its closed position the cigarette carried bythe tray 2i will have one end projected above the. casing in a, manner heretofore disclosed in connection with the form shown in Figs. l-4 inclusive and at the. same time the flint wheel is operated automatically to render the wick effective. Inclosingof the cover, the couple 5| isinefiective but the. snuffer tube 58 depending from the cover co operates with the shouldered part 46 to extinguish the flame of the wick.

In the form according to Figs. and 11, separate spring operated covers. are provided for the cigarette and lighter compartments. The cigarette compartment has a cover I6 which. controls its tray in the manner disclosed in con.- nection with the forms shown in Figs. 1 to 4. inclusive and in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive. In Fig. 11. however, the hinged cover 60 for the lighter compartment is independently controlled by a suitable catch 6!. If the catch is released, cover 60 by reason of a separate spring l8 operates to cause the wick to light by similar mechanism as shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive. In closing cover 60 snufier 58 extinguishes the flame.

With the form according to Figs. 12 and 13, a general cover I6 extends the entire length of the casing and over the cigarette and lighter compartments. In order, however, to produce the flame. desired in. thelighter compartment a separate. or subsidiary hinged spring operated cover 62 independently controlled must be released by the catch 63; In the full open or closed position, the subsidiary cover 63 is nested with respect to the general cover. I8 In other aspects, the construction: of Figs; 12: and 13' is similar to corresponding parts shown in the forms according to Figs. 1 00 4 inclusiveand 6 to 11.

According to the. form shown in Figs. 15 and 16, a single cover I 6 for both the cigarette and lighter compartments is utilized to raise the cigarettes in a manner hereinbefore described and to lift the snufler from the wick. Sparks to ignite the wick: are produced however, independently oi the. operation of the movable cover. To this end, the flint wheel 49 is actuated by the thumb. controlled manipulator 65 to produce the required spark. Cigarettes are projected beyond the cigarette compartment upon the release of the cover. In the opened position of the cover, wheel 65) is actuated to produce the flame. In

closing of the cover, the cigarette tray is lowered and the snufl'er- 58 cuts out. the flame.

While Ihave. disclosed several embodiments of my invention, it is: to be understood that it is not limited to the details of the structure described but is capable of other adaptations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus. described by invention, what I claim as: new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

I- In a device of the class described, a cas ng. acover hingedly connected thereto, spring means acting against the cover and casing, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said cas ing,,'article supporting means movably guided within said; casing, linkmeans pivotally connected to said cover and supporting means, a partition carried by the: latter dividing said casing into compartments, said casing comprising stop means cooperating with said partition to interrupt upwarddisplacement of the latter upon the application of pressure on said casing and upon release of said pressure permitting further displacement of said supporting means to present the articles thereof above the elevation of said, casing.

2. In. a device of the class described, a casing, a cover'hi-ngedly connected thereto, spring means acting against the cover and easing, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said casing, article supporting: means movably guided within said casing, link means pivotally connected to. said cover. and supporting means, a vertically disposed partition carried by said supporting means and having. a. shoulder normally free of an adjacent wall of said casing, stop means extending inwardly of said casing and cooperating with said shoulder to interrupt upward displacement ofv said supporting means upon the release of said lock means so as to present said cover in an intermediate position, said stop means being rendered effective upon the release of pressure on said wall. to permit raising of said cover to its full. open'position and present the articles of said supporting. means. above the elevation of said casing.

3. In a device of the class described, a casing, a cover hingedly connected thereto, spring means acting against the cover and casing, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said casing, article supporting means movably guided within said casing, link means pivotally connected to said cover and supporting means, a vertically disposed partition carried by said supporting means and having a shoulder normally free of an adjacent wall of said casing, a lug carried by said wall and disposed in the path of travel of said partition, said shoulder and lug being engageable upon the application of inward pressure on said Wall subsequent to the release of said lock means, said shoulder and lug being disengaged upon the release of said pressure to permit upward displacement of said supporting means.

4. In a device of the class described, a casing, a cover hingedly connected thereto, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said casing, an article supporting member having vertically spaced arms, link means pivotally connected to said arms and cover, a vertically disposed partition carried by said supporting member intermediate said arms, spring means operable upon the release of said lock means upon the application of pressure to an outside face of said casing to elevate said supporting member relative to said casing and lift said cover, stop means to interrupt said lift and set said supporting member to a predetermined elevation, said stop means being rendered eifective upon the release of said pressure to permit said spring means to raise said cover to its full open position and elevate the articles of said supporting member as to be accessible above the limits of the casing.

5. In a device of the class described, a casing, a cover hingedly connected thereto, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said casing, a cigarette supporting member comprising a stepped tray having vertically disposed and spaced arms, link means pivotally connected to said arms and cover, a vertically disposed partition carried by said tray intermediate said arms, spring means operable upon the release of said lock means upon the application of pressure to a portion of the front wall of said casing to move and elevate said tray and lift said cover, means to interrupt the lift of said cover and the movement of said tray comprising a lug extending from said wall and a shoulder disposed on said partition, said shoulder and lug being engageable for holding the cover at a predetermined position, said shoulder and lug being disengageable upon the release of said pressure to permit said spring means to raise said cover to its full open position and elevate the cigarettes of said tray so as to be accessible for selection.

6. In a device of the class described, a casing, a cover hingedly secured thereto, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said casing, a cigarette supporting member movably guided within the casing comprising a stepped tray having vertically disposed and spaced arms, links pivotally connected to said arms and cover, a partition dividing the casing into compartments and carried by said tray, spring means operable upon the release of said lock means upon the application of pressure to a portion of the front wall of the casing to move and elevate said tray and cover, a projection extending from said wall and cooperating with said partition to interrupt the movement of said tray and cover, said projection being rendered effective upon the release of said pressure to permit said spring means to raise said cover to its full open position and elevate the cigarettes of said tray so as to be accessible for selection.

'7. In a device of the class described, a casing, a cover hingedly secured thereto, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said casing, a. cigarette supporting member movably guided within the casing comprising a tray having several cigarette supporting sections disposed at different elevations and including vertically disposed and spaced arms, links pivotally connected to said arms and cover, a partition dividing the easing into compartments and carried by said tray, spring means operable upon the release of said lock means upon the application of pressure to a portion of the front wall of the casing to move and elevate said tray and cover, a projection extending inwardly from said wall and cooperating with said partition to interrupt the movement of said tray and cover, said projection being rendered efiective upon the release of said pressure to permit said spring means to raise said cover to its full open position and elevate the cigarettes of said tray soas to be accessible for selection.

8. In a device of the class described, a casing, a cover hingedly secured thereto, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said casing, a cigarette supporting member movably guided within the casing comprising a cigarette tray having means for positioning the upper portion of said cigarettes in overlapped relation and including vertically disposed and spaced arms, links pivotally connected to said arms and cover, a partition dividing the casing into compartments and carried by said tray, spring means operable upon the release of said lock means upon the application of pressure to a portion of the front wall of the casing to move and elevate said tray and cover, a projection extending from said wall and cooperating to engage with said partition to interrupt the movement of said tray and cover, said projection being disengageable from said partition upon the release of said pressure to permit said spring means to raise said cover to its full open position and elevate the cigarettes of said tray so as to be accessible for selection.

9. In a device of the class described, a casing, a cover hingedly secured thereto, lock means for disconnectably holding the cover to said casing, a cigarette supporting tray having an undulating surface for holding said cigarettes in staggered relation and including vertically disposed arms, a partition dividing the casing into compartments and carried by said tray, spring means operable upon the release of said lock means upon the application of pressure to a portion of the front wall of the casing to move and elevate said tray and cover, a projection inwardly extending from said wall and cooperating with said partition to interrupt the movement of said tray and cover, said projection being withdrawn from said partition upon the release of said pressure to permit said spring means to raise said cover to its full open position and elevate the cigarettes of said tray so as to be accessible for selection.

HYMAN R. SEGAL. 

